Many of you are probably aware that Web Services has mail merge features built into Email+. When building a group in the Group Manager you can upload as many variables as you wish per email address. Then you can reference those variables in your email. Some of you may not know that there are two very special variables that can be used with Email+, "firstName" and "lastName".
What makes these variables special?
If the email address for individuals is either @illinois.edu, @uic.edu or @uis.ed and you do not provide a first or last name when uploading your group then Web Services will provide those values for you when sending the email. We will not insert them into the group. We pull the values at the moment you send a test or official email.
Why am I reviewing this with you?
Students can now add a Preferred First Name, if they choose, via Banner Student Self-Service. When Web Services collects data for first names we always use the preferred first name if it is provided. We do not consider our office an official department of records. So if you need to have the Official first name then you will need to upload that information into the group. We will not override data that you have provided. We only add the first and last names if you have left them blank.
When is the first and last name pulled in?
Each day at 8:00 am we pull in the first and last names into our database. We apply those names at the moment you send an email. We do not add them to your group.
What happens if I am sending an email but some of the addresses are off campus?
Let’s say you want to use a salutation in an email. But you have some people that are @yahoo.com and you don't have their first names. In Email+ we have a Salutation feature that will allow you to provide a salutation when there is a first name and a default salutation when there is no first name.
Is there a way to remove first and last names from groups I have already uploaded for University of Illinois email address so I can make sure to use the most up to date names?
Use the Web Services contact us form in order for us to clear out those names for you so you will get the most up to date name values from Banner. By leaving the first and last names blank for @illinois.edu, @uic.edu and @uis.edu addresses you will always have the most current names.
If you have questions about this change feel free to contact me.
